WIREDGOV

Better access to public sector information moves a step closer

News Release issued by the COI News Distribution Service on 19 March 2012

The private sector and the open data community are to have greater influence over the release of public sector data to encourage the creation of high-value businesses and promote economic growth, the Government announced today.

A new independently chaired Data Strategy Board (DSB) will advise Ministers on what data should be released and has the potential to unlock growth opportunities for businesses across the UK. At least one in three members of the DSB will be from outside government, including representatives of data re-users.

The DSB will work with the Public Data Group (PDG) – which consists of Trading Funds the Met Office, Ordnance Survey, Land Registry and Companies House – to provide a more consistent approach to improving access to public sector information. These organisations have already made some data available, which has provided opportunities for developers and entrepreneurs to create imaginative ways to develop or start up their own businesses based on high quality data.

The Government is making £7m available from April 2013 for the DSB to purchase additional data for free release from the Trading Funds and potentially other public sector organisations, funded by efficiency savings. An Open Data User Group, which will be made up of representatives from the Open Data community, will be directly involved in decisions on the release of Open Data, advising the DSB on what data to purchase from the Trading Funds and other public organisations and release free of charge.

SMEs in particular will benefit from the new structure announced today and the easier access to data it supports. The real-time weather observation and forecast datasets made available for the first time by the Met Office in November are an example of the kind of data that will promote the creation of high-value businesses, while widening the marketplace and empowering the individual citizen.

Minister for Universities and Science David Willetts, who will be jointly responsible for DSB, said:

"The Data Strategy Board will play a vital role in expanding the opportunities for economic growth from the data and services provided by the Public Data Group but potentially from other parts of the public sector.

“Already data is being interpreted in creative and innovative ways and I will be challenging the board to widen the net in finding new opportunities for the private sector and the public to take advantage of public sector information. I look forward to listening to their ideas and seeing how they are interpreted by the public."

Minister for the Cabinet Office Francis Maude, who will be jointly responsible for the DSB, said:

“This government is a world leader in open data and transparency. We’ve already released over 40,000 data files on data.gov.uk, and this has helped create high-value businesses of real social benefit in the fields of health, transport and weather.

“The new structure for Open Data will ensure a more inclusive discussion, including private sector data users, on future data releases, how they should be paid for and which should be available free of charge.”

Minister for Employment Relations, Consumer and Postal Affairs, Norman Lamb, who will be advised by the PDG, said:

"The organisations in the Public Data Group are world leaders with a wealth of information at their finger tips. By bringing them together as the Public Data Group they will work collaboratively to identify and deliver better and more efficient public services. I'm confident that these organisations will work together to create positive impacts across the economy and I look forward to seeing the results."

The DSB will provide evidence on how data from the Trading Funds – including what is released free of charge – will generate economic growth and social benefit. It will act as an intelligent customer advising Government on commissioning and purchasing key data and services from the PDG, and ensuring the best deal for the taxpayer.

This new arrangement will balance the need for more data free at the point of use, while still affordable and providing value for the taxpayer.

Examples of the Trading Funds making data available for use:

Next month the Met Office will be the European host for the International Space Apps Challenge, an initiative of the Open Government Partnership. Teams at the event will be using free data from the recently launched DataPoint web service. This gives access to operational UK weather data and observations, as well as exploiting other open data sets available from the Met Office and other participating organisations.

There are several examples of organisations using Ordnance Survey Open Data to create services for public use. These include Lovell Johns creating maps for use on the Amazon Kindle, and the development of iCoast, a map-based website that provides information about coast and marine based recreational activities. Open Data encourages the development and use of the maps and data available for innovative applications and services.

Land Registry has already begun releasing monthly Market Trend Data. In addition to the already popular House Price Index, Land Registry added “transaction data” to the information made available through their website in January 2012. By the end of March 2012 it will also include the latest monthly Price Paid information.The newly presented Market Trend Data in January saw a doubling of hits on Land Registry’s House Price Index internet pages. Coupled with downloads of the newly available transaction data, this indicates that access to detailed property related data continues to be valued and sought after in the property marketplace.

Notes to Editors

1. Recruitment for the chairs of the DSB and the PDG is now under way. For more information on this, please visit www.bis.gov.uk.

2. Shane O’Neill, Chair of ELGIN, said:

"Well-curated national datasets, reliably updated and accompanied by guaranteed service delivery values - these to me are the real foundations of sustainable and real economic growth. They are also a critical part of our national infrastructure. By creating the Data Strategy Board Government has recognised that the planning and governance of these (as represented by the Data Strategy Board) must be separate from the operational units charged with efficient delivery (Public Data Group). This fundamental re alignment shows that the consultation exercise feedback has produced a real step forward in Government information policy."

David Rhind, Chairman of the Advisory Panel for Public Sector Information, said:

"More has been achieved on Open Data and Public Sector Information in the last two years than in the previous twenty. The Advisory Panel on Public Sector Information (APPSI) welcomes government's commitment to making such information readily and easily available and the energy with which this agenda is being pursued.

“The new governance structure and the separation of commissioner and provider bodies is a crucial step and the plans announced today should help to achieve what we all want - a better national information infrastructure accessible by business, all governments, education, voluntary groups and citizens. APPSI stands ready to assist with the implementation and shaping of the new arrangements.”

Chris Yiu, author of the recent Policy Exchange report A Right To Data, said:

"This is a step in the right direction toward opening up the UK's public data for free for everyone. There is an opportunity here to shape the open data agenda and it's important that people from all fields get involved."

3. The Open Data User Group will be made up of representatives from the community using and re-using government data. It is being set up by the Cabinet Office and more information about it can be found here:

http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/content/open-data-user-group

The group can be followed on Twitter @odugUK, and the Cabinet Office is currently undertaking a consultation exercise on how the group should be run here: http://www.dialogue-app.com/585

4. The Government’s response to the consultation on a ‘Data Policy on a Public Data Corporation’ and the Terms of Reference for the DSB and PDG can be accessed here: http://www.bis.gov.uk/policies/growth/growth-review-implementation/data-strategy-board

5. BIS's online newsroom contains the latest press notices, speeches, as well as video and images for download. It also features an up to date list of BIS press office contacts. See http://www.bis.gov.uk/newsroom for more information.

Contacts:

BIS Press Office
NDS.BIS@coi.gsi.gov.uk

Tim Foley
Phone: 020 7215 5363
timothy.foley@bis.gsi.gov.uk